Saddle Mountain celebrates a decade in the desert

Saddle Mountain Brewing Company is celebrating its 10-year anniversary 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, with a community event at 15651 W Roosevelt Street in Goodyear.

To celebrate, the brewery will close its parking lot for the occasion, providing attendees with a full day of entertainment featuring live music, food, and various activities.

The musical lineup includes Andy & Dave, followed by Cole Clark & the High Horse Honky-Tonk Band and The Kenyon France Band. For those interested in body art, Sad Boy Studios will offer flash tattoos from 11a.m. to 9p.m. with early sign-up recommended due to limited availability.

A special food menu created by Chef Cody Davis will feature roasted corn elote dip with nopales for, marinated steak tacos with grilled cactus and avocado dressing, and a double-battered crispy chicken sandwich with pickled jalapeños and pepper jack cheese. The menu also includes a double patty burger topped with various peppers and white cheddar, as well as Indian fry bread finished with powdered sugar and whipped cream.

Attendees can participate in a Corn Hole Tournament for a chance to win a $200 gift card to Saddle Mountain. Additionally, the first 30 attendees will receive door prizes, and merchandise giveaways will occur throughout the day.

SMBC specializes in a variety of beers, including IPAs, stouts, lagers, and seasonal offerings all made on site by a team of brewers led by Anthony Worthy, head brewer at SMBC.

Worthy has been with the company for eight years and has seen the company and the team grow.

“It’s thankless work, its hard work, hard labor but we’re not jaded, or burnt out because at the end of the day we know all of the work that went in to get our product to this point was worth it,” Worthy said. “I’m proud of what we do and having creative freedom make it that much easier.”

Part of Worthy’s work is to create new beers for the brewery to sell. He says his creative process starts where the product ends up, at a bar. He takes inspiration from other brews, pulling ideas from ingredients he hasn’t used or a type of beer he has not made in a while.

For SMBC’s 10th anniversary, Worthy is recreating an old favorite with a twist. A Belgian quad, made with a plum and prickly pear puree that has been aged in wine barrels. “With our theme being 10 years in the desert, we really wanted that cactus flavor to shine out,” Worthy said.

“Getting to share the work is so cool,” Worthy said. “I got lucky. I love beer and I like the chemistry, and I like the community.”

SMBC is celebrating its success and its decade of collaboration with local businesses and nonprofit organizations that contribute to the regional beer scene and community feel inside its taproom and in Goodyear.

Visit saddlemountainbrewing.com for more information.